The Land Before Time XVIII: Journey Under the Great Valley
by Mongoose Lover
Summary: Littlefoot has hit the Time of Great Growing and has a rebellious streak. He has made new friends and started to shun his old ones. He begins to covert a legendary rock known as the Fire Rock, which is said to be under the Great Valley and bestow knowledge and wisdom to its finder. As he sets out for the Fire Rock, however, he starts to learn who his real friends are and aren't.
1. Opening

**THE LAND BEFORE TIME XVIII: JOURNEY UNDER THE GREAT VALLEY**

* * *

**CHARACTERS**

* * *

Littlefoot Male Apatosaurus (Longneck/Flattooth) Alignment: Good, well, mostly

Cera Female Triceratops (Threehorn/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Ducky Female Saurolophus (Swimmer/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Petrie Male Pteranodon (Flyer/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Spike Male Stegosaurus (Spiketail/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Grandpa Longneck Male Apatosaurus (Longneck/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Grandma Longneck Female Apatosaurus (Longneck/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Topps Male Triceratops (Threehorn/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Tria Female Triceratops (Threehorn/Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Tricia Female Triceratops (Threehorn /Flattooth) Alignment: Good

Liam Male Anatosaurus (Flattooth) Alignment: Bad

Louise (OC) Female Quetzalcoatlus (Large Flyer/Flattooth) Alignment: Bad

Aang (OC) Male Ankylosaurs (Club Tail/Flattooth) Alignment: Bad

Mandi (OC) Female ? (Hollowhorn/ Flattooth) Alignment: Bad

Rabauke (OC) Male ? (Thicknose/Flattooth) Alignment: Bad

Smilodons Mixed Smilodon (Tickle Fuzzy/Sharptooth) Alignment: Bad

* * *

The teenaged Threehorns hoped to get the Fire Rock. It would grant knowledge and experience beyond one's years. However, the Sharptooth Tickly Fuzzies were gaining on them. There was a huge pack of them and, though smaller than a Threehorn, their numbers made them deadly. One by one the Threehorns fell. The last one made it out of there alive, abandoning the Fire Rock.

He told the grownups what had happened. They were devastated about the loss of the children. As for the location of the Fire Rock, the surviving Threehorn refused to tell. He blocked it himself, hoping that never again would dinosaurs seek this dangerous object and fall victim to its deadly guardians. However, he was wrong. Many years later, others would find the entrance to the place and one Longneck would seek the fabled power of the Fire Rock.

The Time of Great Growing had at last begun for Littlefoot and his friends. They had all had a growth spurt. Ducky was now getting to be taller than Petrie. Cera had her second horn coming in. Littlefoot had started to get a stripe on his head and his voice had deepened slightly as had Petrie's. Spike had gotten a few more spikes on his tail and back.

Littlefoot and Cera ran out of a big forest. They stopped in a watering hole. Both looked gleeful, for they had been racing to see who was the better racer.

"I won that race!" said Cera.

"No, I did!" said Littlefoot.

It was so close that Ducky, Petrie, and Spike, who had been there at the finish to determine the winner, could tell who had actually won. They were now more annoyed that the two kept arguing.

"You guys should stop arguing. It was just a stupid race. It was. It was." said Ducky.

"Just as soon as Littlefoot admits that I won!" replied Cera.

"No, I'm not, cuz I won!" Littlefoot argued.

"No you didn't!" snapped Cera.

"Did too!" snapped Littlefoot.

"DID NOT!" shouted Cera.

"DID TOO!" shouted Littlefoot. "You just can't admit that Longnecks are better than Threehorns!" laughed Littlefoot. This hit a nerve of Cera's.

Cera lunged at him. She banged him with her horns. This hurt him. "OW!" he cried. "Longnecks should know that they can never win against a Threehorn!" said Cera proudly.

"All right Cera, you asked for it!" he said. He slammed her with his tail. This knocked her away. He kicked her and she fell to the ground. He'd beaten Cera for the first time in a fight! He was so excited.

"Ha, beat ya this time" Littlefoot cheered. "I let you win!" said Cera stubbornly. "No you didn't! You just can't admit that you lost!" said Littlefoot smugly. "I didn't lose! I let you win!" said Cera angrily. "Did not!" said Littlefoot. "Did too!" said Cera. "Did not!" said Littlefoot. "Did too!" said Cera. They kept arguing.

"Nice one Littlefoot!" It was Liam the Anatosaurus. He seemed to be popular among the adolescents but Littlefoot's friends didn't like him. However, Littlefoot had admired him, despite their mistrust of him. "Thanks Liam!" said Littlefoot. "Ah, kissing up to Liam are you?" said Cera. "You're just upset because I beat you!" said Littlefoot.

"Yeah Cera, so leave him alone. Don't like having your brag bone hurt?" laughed Liam.

"Sharptooth breath!" said Cera, sticking her tongue out at Liam.

"Pointy face!" said Liam, sticking out his tongue back.

"Come on Littlefoot!" said Liam. Littlefoot followed him. The others worried that Liam would be a bad influence on Littlefoot. And they were right.


	2. Chapter 1: Liam

**CHAPTER ONE: LIAM**

* * *

Littlefoot continued with Liam. Liam was so handsome and popular with the girls. Littlefoot wished that he could be more like him. After all, Littlefoot had some friends, but he was more of a bit of a nobody in popularity. He liked his friends, to be sure, but he wanted more. He followed Liam to his group of flunkies.

There was Aang the Club Tail, Louise the Large Flyer, Rabauke the Thicknose, and Mandi the Hallowhorn. "Everyone, this is Littlefoot. He's going to be our new friend." said Lima, introducing Littlefoot to them.

"I'm glad to be here. You guys are so well liked around here." said Littlefoot, glad to be around them.

"Yeah, we're much better than that group you hang around with." said Rabauke.

"My friends are fine." said Littlefoot.

"But they aren't cool like us!" said Mandi.

"I guess not." sighed Littlefoot.

"Indeed. Observe." said Aang. He walked up to several female Club Tails.

"It's Aang! He's so dreamy!" they all cried.

"I wish girls would like me like that." sighed Littlefoot.

"You have to be cool." said Liam.

"How do I do that?" Littlefoot asked.

Liam began to sing a jazzy tune, snapping his fingers.

"So you want to be cool?

You want to rock and rule?"

Littlefoot nodded.

"You wanna be hot?

But right now you know you're not." sang Aang.

Littlefoot nodded vigorously nodded.

"You wanna be number one?

You want to have all the fun?" sang Lousie, snapping her fingers too.

"I do. I do.

I want to be like you!" sang Littlefoot eagerly.

"You want to be able to win?

You want to be one who's in?" sang Mandi, snapping her fingers.

"I wanna be the man!

I want to get as many admirers as I can!" sang Littlefoot.

"Well, it can happen to you.

You just need to do what we do." sang Liam, snapping his fingers.

"Oh that I would most like to see.

Everyone admiring the most amazing me!" sang Littlefoot.

'Oh don't worry kid. Soon you'll be cool.

Soon you're gonna rock and rule!" sang Liam, snapping his fingers.

"We're going to be the best!

We're going to be cooler than all the rest!" they all sang, some of them snapping their fingers. They finsihed.

"Welcome Littlefoot. You're now one of us!" said Liam.

"Oh boy!" said Littlefoot. He ran off to tell his friends.

Once he was out of sight, Mandi groaned "You're gonna let that loser join us? He's still with those nobodies and will never be cool like us!"

"Of course not. But he'll be fun to get to do our bidding. Oh yes he will." said Liam, grinning devilishly.


	3. Chapter 2: Those Pesky Grownups

**CHAPTER TWO: THOSE PESKY GROWNUPS**

* * *

Littlefoot found that his friends were less than amused about him being pals with Liam's group.

"He's just a big creep. Why can't you see it?" grumbled Cera, thumbing her nose up in the air.

"You're just jealous because now I'm cooler than you!" said Littlefoot, shaking his head at his friends.

"You're not better than us! You obviously got your head smacked too hard in that fight!" said Cera.

"A fight that I won." Littlefoot reminded her. "You guys are just jealous." said Littlefoot angrily.

"Am not!" said Cera.

"Are too!" said Littlefoot.

"Am not!' said Cera, raising her voice.

"Are too!" said Littlefoot, raising his voice as well.

"AM NOT!" shouted Cera.

"ARE TOO!" shouted Littlefoot.

"Enough!" It was Grandpa Longneck. "Calm down kids! It isn't polite to shout like that." he scolded.

"Littlefoot here thinks he's better than us!" said Cera angrily, giving Littlefoot an angry look.

"Liam thinks I'm cool. She just can't handle it that he thinks that I'm cooler than her!" grumbled Littlefoot.

Grandma Longneck, who was with her mate, shook her head. Kids often changed as they got older. However, the way her grandson was changing was not one that she liked.

"Littlefoot, when did you start to care about being cool? You were always happy the way you were." asked Grandma Longneck.

"Well, I'm older now. I'm never going to get a girl or be anybody if I just stay a nobody." replied Littlefoot.

"Oh Littlefoot. It's just a fad. What seems cool now won't always be." said Grandpa Longneck.

"Well, if I be with the cool people, then I'll always be cool." said Littlefoot.

"I thought that you thought that we were cool." said Ducky.

"Yeah, but not like Liam." said Littlefoot.

"Hmmmmph!" grumbled Cera, thumbing her nose in the air.

"What Liam got that we no got?" Petrie inquired.

"He's popular." said Littlefoot.

"Being popular isn't everything. A lot of popular things can, in fact, turn out bad, as do the popular people that so many look up to." said Grandpa Longneck.

Littlefoot thought that his grandfather was just an ignorant adult and didn't know how the world worked. "What do you know?" snapped Littlefoot defiantly. Littlefoot's friends gasped, as this was unlike the Littlefoot they knew.

Grandma Longneck, who had started to eat Tree Stars, spat them out in shock at her grandson's smart mouth at the same time as the others had gasped. She had hoped that Littlefoot wouldn't be like this. But Arianna his mother and Bron his father had been like this at Littlefoot's age. It tended to happen with many Longnecks, even the more well-behaved ones, at the Time of Great Growing. She even recalled her own mother reminding her that she had been that way so long ago. She should have known better. But she wasn't going to let Littlefoot keep going that way. Not as long as she was in charge!

"Littlefoot, apologize to your grandfather now!" she said sternly.

"What for?" he said defiantly. Littlefoot's friends again gasped, for this was so unlike the leader of their group. It was unprecedented for him to be this much of a smart mouth.

_Littlefoot is going to be tough I can see. Guess I will have to be hard on him._ thought Grandma Longneck. She gave him a glowering look. He felt afraid and said "Sorry Grandpa."

"Come with us." said Grandpa Longneck sternly.

"Busted!" said Cera, sticking her tongue out at Littlefoot.

"Shut up!" shouted Littlefoot.

Littlefoot went with his grandparents. They were silent for a while till they were out of earshot of others. Finally, Grandpa Longneck said "Littlefoot, we need to talk."

"About what?" snapped Littlefoot, who gave them a "Why are you bothering me?" look.

"Your attitude. It stinks like a herd of Club Tails on a hot day!" said Grandpa Longneck angrily.

"I don't see the problem." said Littlefoot stubbornly, looking irked.

"That IS the problem!" said Grandma Longneck sternly, trying her best to resist the strong urge to whack the snarky attitude right out of her grandson with her tail, which she knew wouldn't help.

"Pesky grownups." said Littlefoot, looking very annoyed. "Ok, can I go now?" he asked. He didn't even give them time to reply, but started to move away.

_He definitely needs to learn respect! I will do what I must._ thought Grandpa Longneck. "LITTLEFOOT, COME BACK HERE NOW!" he shouted loudly. Littlefoot turned around. "You are not returning to your friends today. It's time you learned to behave. You are treating your friends and your grandmother and I most rudely. You can spend the rest of the day thinking over your behavior." said Grandpa Longneck firmly.

"Oh, this stinks worse than Egg Stealer breath!" Littlefoot grumbled. The irate Longneck angrily kicked down a tree as he stormed off.

"I'm worried about him Irene." said Grandpa Longneck.

"Don't worry too much Ignatius. He'll outgrow it. They usually do." replied Grandma Longneck.

Littlefoot was furious. _My Grandparents punished me. It's not fair! Don't they know that I have important people to be with? How am I supposed to be with the others now? And, more importantly, how am I supposed to be with Liam and the cool crowd?_ he thought angrily. Littlefoot scowled. He really didn't like grownups right now.

He was upset and not thinking rationally. He went back to his grandparents. "I'll bet I could run the Great Valley better than you!" he shouted angrily.

Grandpa Longneck wisely decided not to shout back, knowing that that wouldn't help matters. Instead, he calmly said "Littlefoot, you may be older now, but you still have much to learn. We didn't hatch yesterday and know more about the world than you do. You couldn't handle running the Great Valley right now." said Grandpa Longneck gently, keeping his frustration in check.

"Bet I could!" said Littlefoot snarkily.

"You don't have the knowledge and experience to do that yet." said Grandma Longneck, also keeping her temper in check.

"Well, I wish I could get some really fast. Then I'd show everyone around here and I'd be really cool and really popular." said Littlefoot arrogantly.

"Funny you should mention that, because there is an object in the Great Valley that is said to bestow great knowledge and experience beyond one's years on whomever can get it." said Grandpa Longneck.

"Tell me about it." Littlefoot said excitedly, hoping to hear more. He hoped he could find whatever it was and show everybody. He'd be so popular that they'd talk about him for many many cold times into the future.

"Have you heard the story of the Fire Rock?" asked Grandpa Longneck.


	4. Chapter 3: Legend of the Fire Rock

**CHAPTER THREE: THE LEGEND OF THE FIRE ROCK**

* * *

"No, Grandpa, I haven't." said Littlefoot, his interest peaking even more.

"They say that underneath the Great Valley, there is a rock that will make one have knowledge and experience beyond one's years." said Grandpa Longneck, who liked telling stories and legends to children, especially his grandson.

"What does it look like?" Littlefoot asked. He hoped he could find it. Then he could show them all.

"It is red and glowing. It is big and located in the middle of a river of Flowing Fire." said Grandpa Longneck.

"Has anyone ever gotten it before?" asked Littlefoot, who thought it seemed the hard to get type of thing based on what Grandpa Longneck had just said.

"Some have tried, but none of them made it." answered Grandpa Longneck mysteriously.

Littlefoot gulped. That didn't sound good. But, then again, he imagined how cool he'd be if he got it.

"How does one get to it?" asked Littlefoot, still not deterred despite hearing that some had died trying to get it.

"There is said to be an entrance to it in a cave. However, the passage in the cave was blocked off long ago to stop others from going in. This happened many cold times ago. Before I was born in fact." replied Grandpa Longneck

"Where at?" Littlefoot asked.

"Nobody knows." said Grandpa Longneck.

"I'll go find it." said Littlefoot, who already had visions in his head of him getting the mysterious Fire Rock and running the Great Valley.

He started to run off. "GET BACK HERE!" yelled Grandma Longneck.

"What is it?" he asked in annoyance.

"Don't you have something to say?" asked Grandma Longneck, pursing her lips.

"Yes, thanks for telling me about the Fire Rock. I'll be going to get it now." said Littlefoot, starting to head off. The two older Longnecks looked at each other and shook their heads. Grandpa Longneck blocked Littlefoot's way with his tail. The teenaged Apatosaurus glared in annoyance at his grandparents.

"I meant about your behavior." said Grandma Longneck, frowning.

"Oh, er...sorry." muttered Littlefoot half-heartedly. "See you tonight. I'm going to find the Fire Rock." he said happily. He headed off to go look for the Fire Rock.

_Guess he didn't get the point. We'll have to punish him more._ his grandparents both thought at the same time.

"LITTLEFOOT!" shouted Grandma Longneck angrily.

"Why do you keep calling me? Perhaps I should change my name as you keep calling me so much. Maybe I'll be Mr. Underappreciated." snapped the Longneck in annoyance, turning around and slowly coming back to them. Both Irene and Ignatius had had enough of his behavior!

"Well, 'Mr. Underappreciated', for your continued lip, belligerence, and unapologetic behavior, you are now banned from going out for the rest of the day." said Grandpa Longneck firmly.

"Are you serious?!" whined Littlefoot.

"As serious as an Earthshake!" said both of his grandparents sternly and firmly.

Littlefoot pouted. "That isn't going to change our minds." scolded Grandpa Longneck.

"This is going to be one _long_ day!" Littlefoot moaned, shaking his head.

"Oh, teenagers! It's been a long time since we were that age." whispered Grandma Longneck to her mate.

"Yes, what a fool I was then. Glad I'm wiser now." whispered Grandpa Longneck back.

Littlefoot wasn't allowed to go searching that day, for he was grounded. The next day, he started looking as soon as the Bright Circle rose. Littlefoot went into a cave. Ducky came across him. "What are you doing Littlefoot?" asked Ducky.

"Don't bother me right now Ducky. I'm looking for the Fire Rock." he said.

"What is that? I never hearded of it before." asked Ducky.

"It is a rock that makes one smarter and more experienced." replied Littlefoot.

"Well, the way you've been acting lately, I think you'd need several." came Cera's voice. She went into the room, Petrie on her back. Spike came behind her.

"Oh shut up!" groaned Littlefoot.

"What do you want with this rock anyway?" asked Cera.

"I want to be in charge of the Great Valley. I'm going to be the new leader. I can do better than the grownups. I'll show them!" said Littlefoot braggadociously.

"This is one of your schemes to be cool, isn't it?" grumbled Cera.

"I'm cool now. And I can be cooler still if I had that Rock." said Littlefoot hungrily. Cera groaned.

"Yes, I have to be cool somehow." said Littlefoot.

"Well, right now you are acting like a creep." said Cera angrily.

"Who are you and what you do with Littlefoot?" asked Petrie.

"What is with you guys?" snarled Littlefoot.

"Me wish me could get the old Littlefoot back. He was nicer." said Petrie.

"I'm fine Petrie!" snapped Littlefoot.

"I want the old Littlefoot back. He was cooler. He was. He was." said Ducky.

"Not like Liam!" retorted Littlefoot.

"Ever since you've been with Liam, you've turned into a monster." grumbled Cera.

"You're just jealous!" snapped Littlefoot.

Spike groaned in exasperation. He was wondering what was up with his friend.

"You too Spike? What is with you all? You are being such sticks in the mud!" Littlefoot snapped at his four friends, storming off in a fury.

"Littlefoot having moment." said Petrie, shaking his head.

"I am worried about him. I am. I am." chimed in Ducky.

"Hmmmmmpppph, the nerve of him!" muttered Cera, sticking her nose up in the air in disgust.

Littlefoot came to Liam and his gang. "What is up Littlefoot my man?" asked Liam. Littlefoot told him about the Fire Rock. "Perfect!" said Liam, grinning. Littlefoot felt glad to be accepted and to have been thought to have had a good idea. Little did he realize that Liam and he did not have the same motives for finding it.


	5. Chapter 4: Bad Littlefoot

**CHAPTER FOUR: BAD LITTLEFOOT**

* * *

They went looking through the cave. They checked every nook and cranny. They awoke a grumpy middle-aged Large Flyer. "You pesky kids!" she groaned. Littlefoot and the others took off. They decided that the way to the Fire Rock couldn't be in here. "Teenagers!" she muttered in disgust. She went back to sleep. Liam stuck his tongue out at her. Littlefoot snickered.

The group went toward a sleeping Iguanodon's nest. "Watch this." Lima whispered. He grabbed an egg. He handed it to Mandi. Aang gave him a rock, which he replaced it with. "Help out guys." whispered Liam. Littlefoot wondered if this was right, but decided if Liam did it, that it must be cool and ok. He and the others replaced the eggs with rocks. "Now get her up Littlefoot. And don't get us caught." whispered Liam. Littlefoot found a long fern. He and the others went out of sight. Littlefoot poked her with the fern and then quickly moved it as she got up.

"Huh?" muttered the Iguanodon. She noticed that her eggs were gone. "Oh no!" she muttered. "Help, my eggs have been stolen by Egg Thieves! They replaced them with rocks!" she cried, running off to get help.

"Quick!" said Louise. They got the eggs and put them back, taking away the rocks. They got away just in time as the Iguanodon came back with Topps.

"I don't see anything missing. The eggs are all there." grumbled Topps.

"But..." muttered the Igunaodon.

"You must have just had a very bizarre Sleep Story." said Topps, shaking his head. He went off.

Littlefoot and his new pals were laughing hard some distance away.

"Did you see the look on her face?" laughed Littlefoot.

"Yes, what a sucker!" laughed Liam.

They went searching another cave. Littlefoot thought he had found a secret chamber. "It's hollow." he said.

"Open it." said Liam Littlefoot spent a lot of energy doing it himself. It never occurred to him to ask why the others weren't helping, so eager was he to try and be cool. He eventually broke through. They searched in here. There were a few pools of water and even a couple of Sky Color Stones, which Liam's group all took, not leaving any for Littlefoot. Littlefoot again didn't question this.

"It's not in here." said Littlefoot in disappointment.

"We'll get it." Liam reassured him.

It was getting later in the day now. "Hey look, it's Grumpy!" said Aang. Mrs. Maia was yelling at a Flyer who had had the bad luck of crashing during a practice for the Great Day of the Flyers. He had hit her by mistake. She had left some Tree Sweets nearby.

"Hey, look what she left for us to enjoy." laughed Rabauke.

"I don't know. Isn't this stealing?" asked Littlefoot uneasily, grimacing.

"She's an old grouch picking on a poor Flyer for an accident. It's karma." Liam reassured him. Littlefoot and the others stole the Tree Sweets. Mrs. Maia turned around.

"Where are my Tree Sweets?" she gasped. Some distance away, out of sight, Littlefoot and his group laughed. They finished off the Tree Sweets. Littlefoot started heading off from the others, for it was about to get dark.

"Hello, glad you dropped in." came a grumpy voice. It was Cera.

"I...er..." muttered Littlefoot nervously.

"You no meet with us today." said Petrie.

"We missed you today. We did. We did." said Ducky. Spike nodded.

"I was with Liam." said Littlefoot.

"So, pretty boy is more important than us now?!" snarled Cera.

"You're just jealous!" said Littlefoot.

"Jealous of what? I'm not the one who's being as obstinate as Spike when disturbed when eating, er, no offense Spike." said Cera. Spike nodded.

"I am not obstinate!" snarled Littlefoot.

"Are to!" grumbled Cera.

"AM NOT!" shouted Littlefoot.

"ARE TOO!" shouted Cera.

"AM NOT!" shouted Littlefoot even louder. The two got into a tussle. Both were doing evenly well. Suddenly, a tail separated the two.

"Enough Cera!" It was her dad Topps.

"That will do Littlefoot!" It was Grandpa Longneck.

Littlefoot and Cera got a stern lecture about learning to get along. They both made nasty faces at each other when the grownups weren't looking. Eventually, the group went off to bed. It looked like their friendship was under strain.


	6. Chapter 5: First Break

**CHAPTER FIVE: FIRST BREAK**

* * *

Littlefoot was wandering around trying to find a cave the next day when he once more found a hollow wall. Once more, he broke it open. This time, however, it wasn't a dead end. There was a passage behind it. He was very excited and ran to his friends.

"I found it!" he exclaimed happily.

"Your common sense?" asked Cera.

"Real cute!" snapped Littlefoot. "I found the tunnel that leads to the Fire Rock!"

"Oh joy of joys!" said Cera.

"You're not interested?" said Littlefoot in surprise.

"From your Grandpa's story, it sounds like a great way to get killed." said Cera skeptically.

"We've done many things that could have gotten us killed." Littlefoot reminded her.

"Well genius, what would you do if you were in charge of the Great Valley?" asked Cera, rolling her eyes.

"Um, I'd be really popular and I'd know what to do. I'd figure out how to be better than the grownups at running it. There would be more Tree Sweets for everyone." said Littlefoot.

"Me'd like more Tree Sweets." said Petrie, smiling.

"But how can you do that? Even the grownups cannot do that. Oh no, no, no." said Ducky.

"Well, with Liam's help, I will be able to do it." said Littlefoot.

"Not Liam again!" grumbled Cera. "That guy is such a big..."

Littlefoot swung his tail at Cera. He missed and knocked down cave teeth.

"Oh no!" yelled Ducky.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" whined Petrie.

Spike groaned. He tried to move the two apart. His efforts got him conked in the face by Littlefoot's tail.

"Oops, sorry Spike." said Littlefoot.

"Enough Littlefoot!" snarled Cera. She ran forward at him and charged him. The two fought as they had many years earlier in the Mysterious Beyond after Cera had insulted Littlefoot's mother.

The two went rolling down a drop in the tunnel path. They collided with Ducky and Petrie, taking them with them. Both Ducky and Petrie screamed. Spike, figuring there was nothing for it but to follow, jumped down the tunnel path after them, yelling "Weeeeeeee!".

Littlefoot and the others crashed into a ton of rocks. Cave teeth and floor teeth went flying everywhere. They have come out of the light and were now in solid dark.

"Me no like this!" Petrie whimpered.

"What it's just the dark!" snapped Cera.

"Is everyone ok?" asked Littlefoot.

"Yeah, no thanks to you." murmured Cera. She tried to prod Littlefoot with her two horns.

"Ouch! You have prodded in the tush! You have! You have!" came Ducky's voice.

"Sorry Ducky." said Cera.

"Take that." said Cera, again aiming for Littlefoot.

"Ouch, me beak!" whined Petrie's voice. Littlefoot and Cera aimed at each other, sometimes hitting Ducky, Petrie, and Spike in the process. The smashed a hole in the tunnel wall. Spike went through the hole. They could see more light now. It seemed to be coming from Flowing Fire below. Spike was hanging on an edge for dear life.

"L-L-Littlefoot!" he cried.

"He said your name Littlefoot! He did! He did!" said Ducky, for Spike didn't talk much. The fact that he had talked let them know how serious it was, for he usually only talked when he or others were in mortal danger.

They came into the room and grabbed Spike and were able to pull him up. "What is this place?" asked Littlefoot.

"No idea. But let's get out of here. We need to be with Mr. Thicknose. We are running late." said Cera.

They had forgotten all about the lecture with Thicknose due to the excitement. They clambered back up the path, now lit by the fires below that could shine through. They came out the cave. Littlefoot hoped to get back right away.

They got some distance away from the cave. However, then they came across the grownups. "Where have you been?" said Mama Flyer sternly. They were NOT pleased.


	7. Chapter 6: Thicknose's Warning

**CHAPTER SIX: THICKNOSE'S WARNING**

* * *

The grownups all gave them a stern lecture for missing half the lecture. They were brought in. Mr. Thicknose was talking about how to fight off various types of Sharpteeth. Though normally they had been itching to hear this one instead of his usual sonorous ones, they now were more concerned about the Fire Rock and their discovery, especially Littlefoot.

Thicknose caught Littlefoot staring dreamily, off in thought. "Littlefoot, pay attention." he snapped.

"Er, sorry Mr. Thicknose. Er, do you know anything about the Fire Rock? You've been here longer than Grandpa. If anyone would know, it would be you." said Littlefoot

"This is a lecture about fighting off Sharpteeth. However, as it is, this tale does involve Sharpteeth, though they haven't been seen in so many cold times that nobody now alive probably knows how to fight them off. As it is, I had met an elderly Threehorn who met such things. He was one of the searchers for the mysterious Fire Rock in his younger days. He alone of his group got away." said Mr. Thicknose. The group gasped.

"Yes, this rock is said to bestoy knowledge and experience well beyond one's years. Likely a load of nonsense! But I did hear this, there is a pack of Sharpttooth Tickle Fuzzies near the Fire Rock. They normally eat other Tickle Fuzzies, but will settle for us if they find us. He said he fought them with his horns. He got really scratched and cut. He lost all of his friends in that quest. He never would say where he had looked. He only said that the entrance had long ago been sealed and that nobody would find it and that was as it should be." said Thicknose.

"Now, if we can get back to how to fight off a Fast Biter. The proper method, for Spiketails anyway, is to..." he began...

"But do you think the Sharpteeth are still there?" Littlefoot interrupted.

"Still where?" grumbled Mr. Thicknose.

"Near the Fire Rock." asked Littlefoot.

"How am I supposed to know?" grumbled Thicknose. "Now, back to the lecture. Spiketails..." he continued.

After the lecture was over, Cera and the others talked to Littlefoot. "I think we should just forget this Fire Rock. We've had our fill with Sharpteeth." said Cera firmly.

"Me agree." said Petrie.

"I do not think it is worth getting eated over. Oh no, no, no." said Ducky.

"What, are you a bunch of scaredy eggs?" said Littlefoot, shaking his head.

"You should just grow up on your own and maybe you will get to lead the Great Valley someday." suggested Ducky.

"No, I want it **now**!" snapped Littlefoot.

"Well, you'll have to find a way to cross that Flowing Fire, assuming that even is the proper path to this Fire Rock, before you can get anywhere near it. And I'm not helping." said Cera firmly.

"Fine! I don't need you! More power for me! Come on Ducky, Petrie, and Spike." said Littlefoot.

"Me no sure about this." said Petrie.

"Ducky?" asked Littlefoot.

"I do not know. It sounds dangerous. It does. It does." said Ducky skeptically.

"Spike?" asked Littlefoot, the frustration rising in his voice. Spike shook his head.

"Fine, be that way!" he shouted. He ran off. He came to Liam and his crew. "I found it. You were right about my friends. They are not that cool. They wouldn't go with me because Mr. Thicknose said there might be Sharpteeth." grumbled Littlefoot.

"Yes, we warned you about those losers!" said Aang.

They went into the cave after Littlefoot. Eventually, they came to the canyon overlooking the Flowing Fire. "Well, I was thinking, we will need something to carry us across. Like a rope or a carrier thing. But there doesn't seem to be any." said Littlefoot.

"Yes, it appears an Earthshake broke what used to be a bridge over there." said Liam, pointing. Sure enough, there did seem to be a point further on down where there once had been a bridge.

"We could get materials to get across. But the grownups won't just give it to us. And if we tell them what we've found, they will take the Rock for themselves." said Liam.

"i agree. We should be in charge. Not those pesky grownups." said Littlefoot. Littlefoot knew Liam meant they would have to steal the items. He normally would have been against it. But he felt this was so important that the breach of the moral code of the Great Valley was necessary. "Think we will meet any Sharpteeth?" asked Littlefoot.

"I do not know. I'm sure we can take them." Liam reassured them. Littlefoot went up the path. Liam held the others back.

"If we **do **encounter any Sharpteeth that give us real trouble, we're going to leave Longneck boy to them and get the Rock for ourselves. Then we can get rid of them and him and rule the Great Valley." said Liam, laughing. The others nodded and laughed. They started back up. Way down the path on the other side, well beyond them, a hungry pack of smilodons sniffed the air, hoping to get the dinosaurs as their meals.

(Note: I know Smilodons aren't supposed to be in dino times, but they put other mammals in and also moved Littlefoot from the Jurassic so I think it's open to possibility to bring in Smilodons.)


	8. Chapter 7: A Little Heart to Heart

**CHAPTER SEVEN: A LITTLE HEART TO HEART**

* * *

Ducky approached Littlefoot soon after he left the cave. "You should think about something other than that Rock. It is not healthy to focus so much on something like that. Oh no, no, no, it is not." said Ducky.

"What do you know?" snapped Littlefoot in the same tone he had smarted off to his grandparents a few days earlier.

"I am your friend. I am trying to help. I am. I am." said Ducky, undeterred.

"Well, I don't need your help. I'm going to get that Fire Rock and I'm going to fix everything." he said.

"Everyone needs help sometimes, even you." said Ducky.

"Me wish you never hear of Fire Rock." said Petrie in a concerned voice, flying through the air and landing in a tree above Ducky.

"Well, if we got the Fire Rock, we could all be cool!" said Littlefoot hungrily.

"I think if you got the Fire Rock, you'd realize that Liam was using you!" came Cera's voice.

"Using me?! What for?!" demanded Littlefoot angrily.

"Liam is a selfish jerk who doesn't care about anybody but himself!" snapped Cera.

"You are just jealous because Liam let me in and not you!" spat Littlefoot.

"Listen Littlefoot, you are not yourself. You should consider that you were happy with us before you met Liam. You did not care that much about being cool." Ducky said calmly.

She was right, but Littlefoot was still bullheaded. "Well, look how great he is?" retorted Littlefoot.

"Great at what, attracting attention?" snapped Cera, rolling her eyes. Littlefoot glared at her.

"Ever since you have been around Liam, you've been getting in trouble a lot more." Cera replied.

"It's because nobody understands me! The grownups just don't get it!" shouted Littlefoot.

"You used to be happy before you met Liam. Now, you are becoming greedy." said Ducky. Littlefoot felt, deep down, that she was right. But his pride got in the way of him admitting this.

"You're wrong!" he snapped back.

"You are becoming more like Liam. Yep, yep, yep, you are." said Ducky.

"Glad you think so." replied Littlefoot, grinning.

"That not good thing." said Petrie.

"Why can't you just let me be?" he snapped at them.

"Because, we don't like the way you're going. It's not you." said Cera.

Littlefoot was furious. He stormed off. He knew that his friends were trying to help. Yet, he wanted to be cool. He felt that nobody understood him. He went off to go help Liam get material to get across the Flowing Fire.


	9. Chapter 8: Crossing the Flowing Fire

**CHAPTER EIGHT: CROSSING THE FLOWING FIRE**

* * *

Littlefoot snuck out that night and went and grabbed many vines. They would need these as a harness. They needed goo. Some Tree Sweets would do this. However, some of the said Tree Sweets were rationed. So Littlefoot realized that he needed to get around Topps, who was one of the guards.

Littlefoot kicked a rock. Topps ran toward him. "Who is there?" he growled. Littlefoot ran. Topps, who couldn't see him, pursued the sound of his footsteps. Liam and the others, meanwhile, were able to make off with the Tree Sweets. Littlefoot jumped into deeper water. As he was older now, he couldn't hide in small streams anymore. Topps couldn't find Littlefoot and left. Luckily, Liam and his minions were gone by then.

"What next?" asked Littlefoot.

"We need huge rocks to hold us. Otherwise we'll fall into the Flowing Fire." said Liam.

They headed toward the Smoking Mountains, where they were most likely to get rocks that big. They had to tiptoe around all sorts of grownups.

Littlefoot accidentally slipped into water. SPLASSSSH! Some grownups stirred sleepily. Littlefoot was able to move out of sight and the grownups looked around, found nothing, and went back to bed.

They got the rocks from the Smoking Mountains. They made Littlefoot carry most of them, but Littlefoot didn't question this.

They came into the tunnel and soon reached the Flowing Fire. "I don't know if this will hold us." said Littlefoot. He was especially concerned about himself. He'd put on a ton or so of weight in the last two years.

"Perhaps we could pull down those rocks over there." suggested Liam. Louise flew over the Flowing Fire with the ropes and tied them to a huge rock.

"Pull!' yelled Liam. They all pulled. The huge rock fell, making a bridge for them to get across. They clambered across. On the other side, they saw several forks in the tunnel.

"Which one do you think it is?" asked Rabauke.

"Not sure. How about we split up?" suggested Liam.

Littlefoot went down one on the farthest right. The light was starting to fade. He crept forward, not able to see. He heard a snarl ahead. "Ut oh!" he said. He heard footsteps coming at him. Fearing the worst, he aimed a big kick at whatever it was. RAAAANNNNH! The five Smilodons smacked into the wall, hurt. They tried to move toward him again. WHACK! He aimed his tail at them, but, not able to see in the dark, didn't hit them directly, but instead got the wall, knocking over rocks and cave teeth. Luckily, these hit the Sharpteeth, forcing them to retreat in pain. "Guys, I need you now!' he yelled.

Liam had heard the ruckus. He ignored Littlefoot, wondering if Littlefoot was about to meet a bad end. However, when Littlefoot said "They're gone…for now." Liam came to investigate with the others.

"Sorry, got a little delayed." Liam lied.

"It's ok. There's something in here. Some kind of Sharpteeth." Littlefoot informed them.

"You said that you have dealt with Sharpteeth before." Liam scowled.

"I did. I don't know what these ones are. Perhaps they're the ones Mr. Thicknose mentioned. " Littlefoot answered. "We can take them together if they show up again. Let's go forward, hanging on to each other. There could be pits in here or something." Littlefoot suggested, feeling foolish for not thinking of that earlier.

"Ok, you lead us and we'll go behind you." replied Aang.

Littlefoot went forward nervously, the others behind him, Liam in the very back. They continued onward, moving in total darkness. Up ahead, they again heard a noise. This time, they heard more footsteps coming. Littlefoot again swung his tail. This time, he got bitten. "ARGGGGGH!" he whined. Nonetheless, the Smilodons were pushed back, at least, for a few seconds. They had come into a wider space, allowing more room for Littlefoot to move. This caused the others, who were willing, if need be, to let Littlefoot get eaten while they saved themselves, to fight off the Smilodons too, as they no longer felt Littlefoot, who had lost hold of them in the confusion. They were all swinging at them. In the mess, Littlefoot's tail hit the wall and caused rocks to fall outward, causing light to come into the chamber.

Meanwhile, Topps was talking to Tria. "So, Tria, Littlefoot is being very rude to my daughter. I think that he is a bad influence." said Topps.

"Oh Topsy, not this again!" groaned Tria.

"No, I really mean it this time. Something has gotten into him. He is…." said Topps, who paused as the falling rocks hit him in the head. "OW! " he cried. He looked around, trying to see what had caused the rocks to fall When he saw nobody, he muttered "Perhaps it was an Earthshake. That was the quite a short one." At least, in the mess, he'd forgotten what he was talking about earlier, and instead started to talk about how great Cera was.

Littlefoot, meanwhile, saw whiskered creatures with orange, red, and yellow eyes glaring at him. They were about the size of Ducky's father, but they were fanged and there were many of them. He and the others aimed at them, driving them back away.

"Are you guys ok?" asked Littlefoot.

"Yeah." replied Mandi.

"I think we've had enough for one day." said Littlefoot. He started to turn back. The others, as they wanted Littlefoot, who was now bigger than any of them, to go with them, were forced to go back with him.


	10. Chapter 9: Liam and His Parents

**CHAPTER NINE: LIAM'S PARENTS**

* * *

Littlefoot didn't sleep that long, for he got back slightly before it was normally time to get up. When his grandparents woke him up, he was really irritable. He was smug, thinking that sometime soon, he would have the Fire Rock and wouldn't have to answer to them anymore. He yawned quite a bit, causing Grandpa Longneck to remark "Teenagers sure like to sleep in a lot."

Littlefoot met Liam an hour later. He had blown off meeting with his friends, for he was still sour at them over their lack of interest over the Fire Rock. "These are my folks." said Liam proudly, introducing Littlefoot to his parents. They, like Liam, were Swimmers.

Liam's blue eyed father and Liam's purple eyed mother came to greet the pair of them. "Hello Liam. Hello Littlefoot." said Liam's father.

"Hello." said Littlefoot.

"So, what have you two been up to lately?" asked Liam's mother.

"Nothing." lied Liam and Littlefoot. Neither of them wanted the grownups to know that they were getting closer to finding the Fire Rock.

"Mom and Dad are amazing. They never pester me about where I'm going or what I'm doing." said Liam.

"Wish my grandparents were that way." sighed Littlefoot.

"Yes, pity your grandparents aren't cool like my parents." commented Liam.

"Our Liam is so amazing! He's so popular!" said Liam's father.

"Yes, and now I'm popular too. I just wish that my grandparents would see it." grumbled Littlefoot.

After spending many hours with Liam's parents, Littlefoot left to go see his friends. He was jealous that Liam had such cool parents while he, on the other hand, seemed to have old fogies who didn't seem to understand how the world worked.


	11. Chapter 10: Tricia's Hatch Day

CHAPTER TEN: TRICIA'S HATCH DAY

* * *

"So, where were you?" asked Cera grumpily.

"Nunya!" said Littlefoot.

"There is no need to be rude Littlefoot. Oh no, no, no." said Ducky, shaking her head. The Swimmer, now three times the size of Petrie, came toward Littlefoot. "You were with Liam against, weren't you?" asked Ducky.

"So what if I was?" snarled Littlefoot.

"Well, you should know that you've made us late for Tricia's Hatch Day celebration!" grumbled Cera.

"Holy Tree Stars! I forgot!" gasped Littlefoot.

It was Tricia's fifth Hatch Day. She was about as old as Cera was when she had first met Littlefoot. They quickly ran to the others for the party. Topps was annoyed that they were late.

"Teenagers!" he grumbled. Littlefoot, who had picked up the habit of disrespect for authority from Liam, stuck his tongue out at Topps, who luckily hadn't noticed him. But Cera, however, had.

"You'll pay for that." she snarled softly. The two got into a tussle, but it didn't last long.

"Act your age! I'd expected this behavior of a Longneck, but you should know better Cera!" Topps chided.

"A Longneck?!" snapped Grandma Longneck, who didn't like Topps's insult about Longnecks.

"Settle down everyone!" said Grandpa Longneck, trying to keep the peace.

"Glad you could all make it." said Tricia.

"Yeah, sorry I was late." Littlefoot apologized, blushing.

"It's ok Littlefoot." said Tria gently.

"Now, we are here to celebrate the fifth cold time to the day that our Tricia hatched." said Topps in an important sounding voice. Tricia, who was already very pink already due to her coloration, turned even pinker as her father talked.

The celebration went on for the rest of the day. They ate Tree Sweets and congratulated Tricia. The others were worn out and went off to bed.

"Thanks for coming everyone." said Tricia.

"No problem." said Ducky.

The others left. Littlefoot was the last to leave. He pretended to be leaving but then doubled back, thinking everyone was gone. However, not everyone was.

"Littlefoot, where are you going?" came a voice. It was Tricia.

"I….er….hafta pee!" Littlefoot invented wildly.

"Thanks for sharing." groaned Tricia, embarrassed. She went off to go to bed. Littlefoot felt bad about lying to Tricia like that. But he had plans. He wanted to go after the Fire Rock. He met with Liam and the others, for they had agreed to meet after dark.

"Got the Glowing Buzzers?" asked Littlefoot. Liam and the others nodded, showing the fireflies that they had gotten for light. They spent a lot of the night searching deeper for the Fire Rock. Luckily, they didn't run into any Sharpteeth. They had halted for the night upon coming upon a point where several paths forked off, many going downward and a few going upward. They weren't sure which way to go and didn't want to get caught by the grownups so they snuck back to bed three hours before dawn.


	12. Chapter 11: The Greed of Littlefoot

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE GREED OF LITTLEFOOT

* * *

Littlefoot was woken up three hours later by his grandparents. He yawned and groaned. "Time for class." said Grandma Longneck.

Littlefoot paid some attention to this lecture about fighting off Sharpteeth. After the lecture, he was confronted by Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike. "Ok wise guy, we know what you're up to!" Cera said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Littlefoot.

"I think you were going off after that Fire Rock last night." Cera snapped.

"So what if I am?" Littlefoot snarled. "Are you gonna tell the grown-ups?"

"No. I'm no tattler. But you should just forget about that stupid Fire Rock!" Cera replied.

"No, I want that Rock! Then I won't have to take it from the grownups anymore!" said Littlefoot.

"I can see it now. Oh won't it be great!

I'll be cool and master of my own fate!

The Fire Rock will make me free!

I'll control my own destiny!" sang Littlefoot.

"Oh you should think that through.

More and more you are not acting like you." sang Ducky.

"Oh my horizons I will enlarge!

It will be great to be in charge!" sang Littlefoot happily. The others, however, were not amused.

"I think you got hit way too many times in the head.

How about you just grow up normally instead?" sang Cera. Littlefoot shook his head.

"It will be great to be in charge and rule.

I will be cooler than cool!

Instead of taking it from them they'll be listening to me!

It will be the one everyone wants to be!" sang Littlefoot, starting to dance.

"Oh of grownups I've had quite enough!

Now I'm going to be the diamond in the rough!" sang Littlefoot.

"When are you going to get it through your head?

Stop going after the Fire Rock and grow up instead!" sang Cera angrily.

"Oh everything will be just grand.

I'll have the Great Valley in my hand.

Things will be going mighty fine.

The Fire Rock will be mine." sang Littlefoot.

"What would you do if the Fire Rock you ever had?

The way you going the type of leader you'd be is bad." sang Petrie. Littlefoot scowled at him.

"There is going to be a lot I'm going to change.

A lot of things I'll rearrange. " sang Littlefoot, dancing more and climbing up a steep hill, trying to be a showoff.

Ducky saw that Littlefoot wasn't paying attention to where he was going, so stuck up was he. "I do not think that way you should go.

Oh I would not do that, oh no, no, no!" she sang.

"Oh it will be great to be in charge.

Oh my horizons I will enlarge!" sang Littlefoot, finishing his song. He tried to do a fancy dance move, lost his balance, and stumbled down the rocky steps, banging his head. He collided with a small tree, which, due to him now being four times the size he'd been during the events of the Threehorn Gathering, fell over, showering him with leaves. "OOOF!" moaned Littlefoot. Cera, who was ticked at Littlefoot, laughed. Littlefoot scowled. "That didn't happen." he said, embarrassed.

"Well, now that you've had your moment, it's time to get back to reality and forget that Fire Rock." said Cera, still snickering at Littlefoot's mishap. The others also laughed at the foolishness of Littlefoot.

'Fine, I'll show you! I'll show you all!" he snapped angrily. He stormed off. His greed was widening the rift between himself and his friends.


	13. Chapter 12: Advice from Grandparents

**CHAPTER TWELVE: ADVICE FROM GRANDPARENTS**

* * *

"My friends are upset that I'm spending more time with Liam and his friends." Littlefoot complained to his grandparents the next morning.

"I've noticed that ever since you have been with Liam and his friends, you have been fighting more with your other friends." said Grandpa Longneck.

"That is because they are jealous!" grumbled Littlefoot.

"Why would Liam think that you were cool but not the others?" asked Grandma Longneck.

"Because I'm special." answered Littlefoot.

"Why would Liam think you are more special than the others?" asked Grandpa Longneck.

Littlefoot didn't know how to reply to this. Liam hadn't actually told him exactly why he was let in. However, he wasn't going to let his grandparents know that he didn't have the answer to that. "Um, because I'm taller I guess." he answered.

"Did Liam ever tell you why he let you in but not the others?" asked Grandpa Longneck again.

"No." Littlefoot replied.

"And why wouldn't he think your other friends are cool enough?" asked Grandma Longneck.

"I don't know." grumbled Littlefoot, who was annoyed with their questions.

"The reason is, that you and your friends have been through so much together. If Liam liked you so much, why not your friends? And why didn't you ask for your friends to join?" asked Grandma Longneck.

"I don't know. He thinks that they are losers." said Littlefoot.

"Do you think that your friends are losers?" asked Grandpa Longneck.

"No, of course not." said Littlefoot.

"Your friends do not seem to like Liam." said Grandma Longneck.

"They misunderstand him!" countered Littlefoot.

"What do they not trust him?" asked Grandpa Longneck.

"They think he is a bully and is using me." replied Littlefoot.

"Yet you don't seem to think so." said Grandpa Longneck.

"No. We get along fine. Liam thinks I'm great. I'm never seen him be a bully" said Littlefoot. "Why do you care? Trying to be nosy with who I am friends with?" snapped Littlefoot at them, who was getting fed up with all of the questions they were asking him.

"No need to get all snippy Littlefoot." chided Grandma Longneck.

"Littlefoot, when I was your age, I had some wonderful friends that I'd been friends with for many cold times. Then I befriended someone that they didn't trust. We went on many adventures together, and, I'm sorry to say, we broke many rules. My other friends and he did not get along. Eventually, it seemed that I would have to choose between my new friend and my old friends. I chose my new friend. My old friends never spoke to me again. And it was a bad decision on my part. My new friend eventually stopped being my friend as we were too different. I still think of my old friends and wonder what could have been." sighed Grandpa Longneck. "I don't want you to make the same mistake. I want you to make your own decisions, but I ask that you choose wisely."

Littlefoot was taken aback. He now wondered what he would do if it came to having to choose between Liam and Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike. He'd normally have said that he'd have taken the Gang over Liam. Now, he wasn't so sure. That night, he lay awake for many hours, wondering what he would do if the choice ever came along. Finally, he drifted off to sleep.


	14. Chapter 13: Smilodon Encounter

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SMILODON ENCOUNTER**

* * *

"Wakey wakey!"

"Huh? What?" muttered Littlefoot sleepily. It was the middle of the night. It could only have been like an hour or two after he fell asleep. It seemed quiet. Nothing was stirring around them. Everyone was asleep. The moon was slightly past its midpoint in the sky.

"What Cera?" he asked, still half asleep. He assumed it might be another adventure.

"I'm not Cera. I'm a way cooler than that!"

Littlefoot got up. "Oh, it's you Liam." he said, yawning and stretching.

"Yes. We're going to go looking for the Fire Rock again." said Liam.

Ten minutes later, the group headed into the cave. They made their way down to the Flowing Fire and crossed on the bridge they had made the last time they were there. Sometime later, they approached the spot where they had met the Sharpteeth before. "I don't see them here this time." said Littlefoot.

"That's a relief." remarked Mandi.

They continued on. Up ahead, they noticed a steep drop. This time, it wasn't Flowing Fire but what appeared to be an underground bubbling spring. They shined the weak light from the Glowing Buzzers around, trying to find a way across.

. Louise flew across. She searched on the other side. She noticed a pathway heading down and found that it lead to the stream. There were some rocks they could hop across on the stream down there. After further inspection, they found a path from their side down to the stream.

"Ok, so we'll have to go down that way." Louise reported.

"Preferably without breaking our necks." said Littlefoot. The group laughed.

They began to head down the path. It was quite steep. "Careful, I don't want any of you to trip and knock me into that Bubbling Water.[1]" Liam said to them.

They slowly clambered down the pathway. Eventually, they reached the bottom. They used the Glowing Buzzers to illuminate the water.

"We have to go across on _those_?" whined Aang, noticing how unsafe the stones leading across the stream were.

"I don't see another way." said Mandi.

They slowly crossed. Littlefoot nearly fell in, but he managed to stable himself. Eventually, they all crossed over. They started climbing up the path on the other side. When they reached the top, however, they met an unpleasant surprise.

ROAR! The Sharptooth Tickly Fuzzies were back. "Ut oh!" the group of dinosaurs cried in alarm.

Aang kicked one and it fell down and into the stream below. It howled in pain and made its way to the other side, where it limped off. Two tried to bite Littlefoot in the neck. "Ahhhh!" Littlefoot cried in a panic. He moved aside just in time, and the two collided and fell over.

"This way!" cried Liam. He headed off away from the Sharpteeth, heading the way the Smilodons had come. Littlefoot and the others followed him. Littlefoot was at the rear of the group. He really hoped that this way didn't lead to a dead end.

They found a split in the passageway up ahead. There seemed to be two paths. From one path, they thought they could hear snarling. Some, naturally, they took off down the other path. The Smildons chased after them. The group of dinosaurs would have come under attack, had not, by dumb luck, the Smilodons that had chased them earlier collided with the new groups of Smilodons after them when the two passages had met. Littlefoot and his group kept running and didn't look back. Eventually, they once more came to the Flowing Fire but were at a different spot than the spot they had crossed. Luckily, they were able to find their way back to the bridge and cross over.

"That" panted Littlefoot, "was too close!"

"At least now we know the shortcut back there can help us avoid some of them." said Liam.

"Let's hope so." said Rebauke. The group made their way back to out of the cave. It was dawn. Littlefoot went to sleep but was woken up a short time later by his grandparents.

"Aw come on!" moaned Littlefoot. "I'm tired!"

"It's time for another lesson with Mr. Thicknose." said Grandma Longneck.

"Teenagers. They like to sleep in till the Bright Circle is in the middle of the sky." said Grandpa Longneck, shaking his head.

* * *

[1] Hot underground river.


	15. Chapter 15: Crime and Punishment

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT**

* * *

Littlefoot had a hard time staying awake during Mr. Thicknose's lecture, which was about nesting. Though real nesting for the teens was still about a decade away, the grownups had felt that it couldn't hurt to learn early. Littlefoot poked himself with the sticks he was supposed to be using to build a nest. He feel asleep.

"Now Littlefoot, I said that nests are used to store eggs, not your head!" scolded Mr. Thicknose.

[To Be Continued]


End file.
